DICKSON, AMAECHI, OKOWA, IBORI, OTHERS, TO HOLD PEACE TALK IN WARRI, 24TH JUNE.

- Set to honour Mike Loyibo.

Governors from the Niger Delta states, the honorable minister of transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, and other prominent Nigerians, will converge in Warri, Delta State, 24th June at Mom civic centre at the birthday lecture/luncheon of High Chief Mike Ekayama Loyibo, a foremost Niger Delta activist and an intellectual advocate of the Niger Delta course, as Prof. Patrick Muoboghare will be delivering the topic  " Roadmap to sustainable peace in the Niger Delta region".

King Alfred Diette Spiff is Royal Father of the day, while Gen. Cletus Emein, former Military Governor of Niger State, is grand host.

The event will be chaired by no other, than the man who has a thirst for Justice and Equity, in person of Hon. Justice F. F. Tabai Jsc Rtd. CFR, Special guests of honour, include:

• H.E Sen. Dr. Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa, Executive Governor of Delta State

• H.E Rt. Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, Executive Governor of Bayelsa state

• H.E Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Honorable Minister of transportation

• H.E Chief James Ibori, former Governor of Delta State

• Brig. Gen. P.T Boroh, Special adviser to the President/Coordinator presidential amnesty programme

• Sen. James Manager, Delta South Senatorial district

• Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege, Delta Central Senatirial district

• Rt. Hon. Nicholas Mutu OFR, Bomadi/Patani Federal constituency.

High Chief Mike Ekayama Loyibo is the convener of the Niger Delta People’s Congress and a former leader of the Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum, PANDEF, the group at the forefront of the talks with the Presidency on how to end the standoff in the Niger Delta.

The Chief recently received a chieftaincy title from two great Kingdoms in the region, where he was conferred as "Otuyota" meaning "Bearer of truth" in Urhobo and "Omezioha" meaning " one who brings favour" in igbo, an achievement which has continued to sustain the existing peace in the region.

Loyibo have continued to demand increased derivation accruing to the region from 13 to 50 per cent to immediately address developmental imbalance.

Recalling some of his words, He said:  ‘’In the Niger Delta, we want true federalism; we want derivation to increase from 13 per cent to 50 per cent; we want the infrastructure in the region to be upgraded to the standard of Abuja and Lagos, we want schools, hospitals, roads and empowerment, among others.

‘’We are averse to cosmetic peace approach by the government. We have a situation, for instance, when there are bombings, the government comes and deceives you with one approach and you will forget your agitations.

‘’After that one, there will be another set of freedom fighters that will come and fight for a better deal for the area. So, what we want is, if you address and turn the Niger Delta to Abuja and Lagos standards, it is we the leaders that will even help the Federal Government to identify the troublemakers in the area.

‘’Good things do not hide; your development will swallow every pocket of criminal aspects in the struggle. That is why we do not want cosmetic peace. We insist on a holistic approach by solving the problem once and for all. By so doing, there will be peace, growth and development of the Niger Delta.’’

Loyibo argued that true federalism would allow states to develop using their resources and pay designated taxes to the Federal Government.

“During that era, the West was producing cocoa and paying tax to the Federal Government and the North, groundnut and they were paying tax to the government and that is true federalism.

‘’We must restructure Nigeria for every section to develop at their own place. That is the thinking of the ordinary people that I represent in the Niger Delta.

‘’We are concerned about the environmental problems, the economic problem, the infrastructure problem and even the political problem.

‘’We want to be seen to be actually involved because we are not second class citizens; anywhere in the world, we are first class citizens and Nigeria belongs to all of us. All of us are equal people, there is no part that can intimidate any other”, he said.